Abhyanga Massage: Make Every Day a Spa Day
Oil massage is a frequently used remedy in ayurveda, with wide-ranging benefits that include better sleep, improved circulation, and slower aging. It’s a wonderful way to incorporate a moment of self-care into your weekly, or even daily, routine without having to dedicate a ton of time or money. All you need is 15 minutes, some oil, and a shower. Like any yogic practice, repetition and consistency give the best results. Once or twice a week is a great frequency for maintenance. If you’re in a period of high stress or healing from an illness, try incorporating it into your routine more frequently, even daily, and see how you feel.
This self- massage was one of my a-ha discoveries when learning about Ayurveda’s many tools for healing. I hope you’ll find it as nourishing and powerful as I have!
Benefits
Calms and balances the nerves
Anti-aging
Improved vision
Increased longevity
Improved sleep patterns
Nourishes the skin
Supports recovery from exercise, injury, or illness
Strengthens the body’s resilience/tolerance
Supports the lymphatic system so it can better process toxins from the body
Stimulates internal organs and circulation
What You’ll Need
15-30 minutes
A quiet space, preferably in the bathroom so you have quick shower access
Oil (see below for which type to use for which purpose)
A bath towel that you don’t mind getting oil on
A squeeze bottle that can be heated in a pot of water
Instructions
There are tons of videos showing the abhyanga self-massage sequence on YouTube that you can watch for a visual representation of these instructions. Here’s one I recommend.
Put 1-2 ounces of oil in your squeeze bottle and gently warm it in a pot or bowl of hot water.
Sit or stand comfortably in a warm room, on your bath towel.
Lovingly and slowly massage the oil into your entire body. Begin at the extremities (starting from hands and feet) and work your way in.
Use long strokes for the muscles, use circular strokes at the joints (knees, elbows, wrists).
After massaging the arms, massage the armpits towards the center of the body.
Massage the chest in circular motions.
Massage the abdomen in a counterclockwise circular motion, moving from the lower right of the abdomen just above the front of the hip, up toward the ribcage, across to the left following under the ribs, then back down and to the left, ending where you began. (Moving in this direction follows the natural path of your intestinal flow.) Repeat a few times.
Optional- Apply oil to the crown of your head and work your way out from the center in circular strokes. (Skip if you are not washing your hair.)
After you’ve massaged your entire body, rest for 10-15 minutes, allowing the oil to soak in.
Wipe the oil off the soles of the feet.
Enjoy a warm bath or shower. It is not necessary to wash with soap- the hot water helps the oil further penetrate the skin. But you can use a gentle soap if you prefer.
Towel off and enjoy your softer skin!
Tips for Real Life
Pressed for time? Skip the rest period between your massage and your shower.
Warming your oil: If you live in a warm climate, warming your oil may not feel as necessary. Warm oil penetrates the skin better and just simply feels nice, but if that extra step gets in the way of you keeping this in your routine, skip it.
Pay special attention to the hands and feet- massaging each individual finger and toe. Because of the large concentration of acupressure points here, the extra time spent is well worth it.
Women should pay special attention to the breasts and armpits, as this helps to drain lymph for healthy breast tissue.
How to Choose an Oil
There is now an entire market for abhyanga massage oils, each with different herbal infusions depending on the dosha you are hoping to balance. If that sounds appealing to you, go for it, but honestly- we don’t need to get fancy! Regular food-grade oils will suffice (and are usually the base for those herbal oils, anyway). Some great options include sesame, coconut, olive, sunflower, or almond oil. Below are some recommendations based on the dosha you are hoping to balance, but PLEASE don’t let this paralyze you- if you have only one oil on hand, or particularly like the smell or texture of a certain oil, go with that.
Ayurveda’s ‘king of oils,’ sesame, can be used anytime, and olive oil works for all three doshas as well, but if you know what dosha you are trying to balance, here’s a quick guide to choosing which one would be best for you:
Vata
Feeling scattered or anxious, having trouble sleeping? Dealing with dry skin, achy joints, or headaches? Almost any oil will balance rough and dry vata energy, but especially warming oils like sesame, almond, or avocado.
Pitta
Experiencing excessive body heat, anger or irritability, inflammation (including skin rashes), or heartburn? Choose a cooling oil like sunflower or coconut oil, or a neem oil blend. Olive, a neutral oil, is also good.
Kapha
Feeling sluggish, congested, or experiencing asthma symptoms?
Light oils like almond, sunflower, or olive are your friend.
You can also choose an oil based on the season:
Fall/Early Winter (Vata): Almost any, but especially sesame or almond, or olive oil
Spring (Kapha): Sesame, almond, corn
Summer (Pitta): Coconut or sunflower